Display cabinet



Nov. 6 1923. lAl

W. P. DE WITT DISPLAY CABINET Filed June 15. 1922 lll J la Las tentant ortica..

WILLIAM DE NTT, OF SGMERVLLE, IVASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DE VVITT-LA FRANCE COMPANY, OF CATfBEtlDG-E, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHSETTS.

DISPLY Application led June 15,

To @ZZ whomc't may concern.'

Be it lrnoivn that l, llVrrniAnr l). En lrr'r,

a citizen of the United States, residiiraat Somerville. in the county Middlesex and State of lila-ssachusetts have in ented new and useful improvements in Display Cabinets, of which the following is a specilication.

rlhis invention relates to a display cabinet and has for its object to provide a cabinet of the character mentioned in which fountain pens, pencils and similar small articles offered for sale may be displayed in a conspicuous and attractive manner.

nother object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanism for simultaneously lool/rino their closed positions all the trays in which the articles are displayed.3 said mechanism embodying therein and utilizing a drawer provided for the reception of articles not upon display, said drawer' being,- located in the base of the cabinet beneath the display trays.

Still another object of the invention is to arrange the various display trays in such a manner that a maximum amount of display surface will. be provided within the cabinet, the arrangement of trays being such that the space at the rear of and beneath said trays may also be utilized for the display of goods. the latter resting' upon the upper surface of the base of the cabinet and being' visible through a. transfi arent end wall of said cabinet.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification `and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a display cabinet embodying; my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation as viewed from` the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation talren ou the line of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows on said line.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view illustrating portion of the locking member and its relationship to one of the trays.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the nontransparent end wall of the casing and illustrating; a portion of a tray and a portion of the locking` member upon the end CABINET.

1922. Serial No. 568,470.

wall, said parts being viewed as looking in the direction of the arrow t in Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the tl-shaped supporting` members.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

ln the drawings, 10 represents a base constructed in the form of a cabinet and provided withlegs 11 and a drawer 12. Located upon the base 10 is a casing 13 embodying ,therein oppositely disposed inclined plate klass walls 14 and 15, a plate glass end wall 16, a non-transparent end wall 17 and a. plate glass top 18. The end wall 17 is utilized as a support for a plurality of shallow sliding trays 19 which project through inclined openings 2O provided in said end' wall and said trays are located one above the other at the rear of the transparent walls 14 and 15 and are also disposed at an angle to said walls in such a position that the contents thereof are conspicuously displayed. Fast to the rear sur- .face of the end wall 17 and projecting rearwardly therefrom to a point midway of the interior of the casing` 13 are. a plurality of supporting members 21 illustrated in detail in Fig. 6. The members 21 areconstructed of sheet metal and are all il-shape in formation. thereby providing a lgroove 22, the surface of which aligns with the lower corner of the openings 20 in the end wall 17. At one end of the supporting members 21 flanges 23 are bent downwardly therefrom and said flanges are utilized in securing said suppoltingI members to said end wall. rl`he supporting; members 21 co-Operate with the end wall 17 in supporting the trays 19 upon said end wall. and said supporting members hold said trays from sagging within the casing 13.

The trays 19 are all locked simultaneously when closed by mechanism which is controlled by the drawer 12 as follows: Located upon the inner surface of the end wall 17 is a l/shaped locking member 27 which is mounted to slide upon a plurality of guide pins 28 which projectfrom said wall 17 through slots 29 provided in said lockingy member. The lower extremities of the locking member 27 rest upon cam surfaces 30 provided upon the sides of the drawer 12 and a spring 31, one extremity of which is etv Ymember 2'?, acts to always pull said locking member downwardly and hold the lower end thereof in contact Vwith said cam surfaces. Located in thekcorner of each tray l 19 adjacent to the locking member27 and in alignment with the locking member 27v when said trays are located in their innermost or closed position is a groove 311, see Fig. 4, and located in the outer edge of the locking member 27 adjacent to each tray 19 are notches 35. When the drawer 12 is located in itsinnermost or closed position, the lowereXtremityof the locking member is located upon the highest portion of the cam-surface 30 and the portions of the locking member adjacent to the notches 35 thereof are located in the grooves 34 of the trays19, in which position it is impossible to pull said trays outwardly and they are, therefore, locked closed. When, however, the drawer 12 is pulled outwardly, rthe locking member influenced by gravity and the spring 31 drops and slides down an inclined portion 36 of the cam surface 30 and said locking member .moves from the position illustrated in full lines, in Fig, e to the dotted lineA osition also illustrated in said Fig. (i, at w ich time the notches align with the corner of the trays adjacent thereto andthe locking member is disengaged there- 'Y from thereby unlocking said trays.A

l The trays 19 are preferably provided with parallel grooves 37 in which the articles are located andV through the medium of which-.1 .they are uniformly spaced. The grooves-37 and portions of the tray adjacent thereto are covered with a layer of velvet 38 or other suitable soft fabric for the pur- 4pose of protecting the articles displayed and also for improving the vappearance of the device. y

' The portion of the .casing 13 beneath and at-the rear of the' trays 19 is utilized for the reception of articles if it is so desired in which event saidarticles rest upon atop surface 39lof-the base 10 and said articles vare exposedi tov view through the trans-v parent end portion 16 of they casingy 13. Access is hadV to the Yinterior of the casing 13 through a door 40 provided in walllf,Y Y To lock the trays 19, it is necessary to first push all of said trays to their innermostl positions, at which time the grooves 34 therein will all be in alignment with the locking member 27. The drawer 12 is then pushed inwardly to its innermost position and during the inward movement thereof the cam surfaces 30 upon the sides of said drawer will force the locking member 27 upwardly and into the groove 34 of each of .the trays, thereby simultaneously locking all of said trays. The drawer 12 may then the end i be fastened by a vlock and key in the usual well known manner if it is so desired. l/Jhen it is desired to open any of the trays, it is necessary to first pull the drawer 12 outwardly a suflicient distance to allow the locking member 27 to drop suliiciently to bereception of boxes in whiclithe articles `are i generally placed when sold.VV Y j By arranging the displayv traysl9. in .an

inclined position at the rearv of the'inclined'f transparent walls14 and` 15 of the casing 13, a much greater amountof display/"surface is provided than is possible in other cabinets of an equal size, of which l have acknowledge, and the articles within the trays are displayed nearer to the'observer .I and may, therefore, be more 'closely-inspected Y without being removed from the cabinet. vclaim: v j,

1. A display cabinet having, in combina! tion, a base, a casing mounted ,upon said base and embodying therein Van end wall, a tray slidably mounted withinsaid casing and entirely supported upon saidend wall' and means to lock said tray inits closed position to said end wall. i f

2. A display cabinet having, in combination, abase. a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein an end wall,"a

tray slidably mounted within said casing and entirely supported upon said end wall,V e

ya locking member mounted uponrsaid end rwall and means to force said locking menr ber into engagement with said tray to lock the latter in its lclosed position,

3. A display cabinet having, in combinaV tion, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein an end wall, and aplurality of tiers of oppositely inolinedtrays slidably mounted in Ysaid end '4 wall andy entirely supportedthereby 45A `display cabinet having, in oombina-A tion, a base, va casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein an end wall and a plurality oftiers of oppositelyinclined i trays slidably mounted in said end'wall and supported thereby and means to lock` said Y trays in their closed positions.

5. A display cabinet having, in combina-Vv tion, a base, a casing mounted upon said base Vand embodying therein `an end wall, a

plurality of trays located within said casing and entirely supported upon said end wall, a locking member slidab'ly mounted upon said end wall and means to force said locking member into engagement with said'trays to simultaneously lock the, latter in their closed positions'.y j

6. A displaycabinet having, inv combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein an end wall, a plurality of oppositely disposed trays arranged in tiers and slidably mounted in said end wall, a locking member slidably mounted upon said end wall and means to force said locking member into engagement with said trays to simultaneously lock the latter in their closed positions.

7. A display cabinet having, in combina tion, a base, a casin mounted upon said base and embodying t erein an end wall and a plurality or" tiers oi oppositely inclined trays slidably mounted in Asaid end wall and supported thereby, said casing also being provided with a display space at the rear of and beneath said trays.

8. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein oppositely inclined transparent Walls and an end wall and a plurality of trays located within said casing andv supported upon said end wall, said trays being disposed at an angle to the transparent wall located adjacent thereto.

9. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein oppositely inclined transparent walls and an end wall and a plurality of trays located within said casing` and supported upon said end wall, said trays being disposed at an angle to the transparent wall located adjacent thereto and means to simultaneously lock said trays to said end wall.

l0. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein oppositely inclined transparent walls and an end walA and a plurality of trays located within said casing and supported upon said end wall, said trays being disposed at an angle to the transparent wall located adjacent thereto. said casing also being provided with a display space located at the rear ot and beneath said trays.

11. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and 'embodying therein an end wall, a plurality of trays located within said casing and entirely supported upon said end wall, a locking member slidably mounted upon said end wall and means to force said locking member into engagement with said trays to simultaneously lockv the latter in their closed positions and also to remove said locking member from engagement with said. trays to simultaneously release the latter.

l2. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein an end wall, a plurality of trays located within said casing and entirely supported upon said end wall, a locking member slidably mounted upon said end wall, means to position said locking member relatively to said trays and means to'torce said locking member into co-operative relation with said trays to simultaneously lock the latter in their closed positions.

13. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base. a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein an end wall, a plurality of trays located within said casing and entirely supported upon said end wall, a locking member slidably mounted upon said end wall, means to position said locking member relatively to said trays, means to 'torce said locking member into engagement with said trays to simultaneously lool; the latter in their closed positions and to also release said locking member and means to Jforce said locking member out ot engagement with said trays when the Jformer is released.

ll. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein an end wall, a plurality of supporting members tast to said wall and projecting inwardly therefrom, trays located within said casing and slidably mounted upon said supporting members and end wall and means to simultaneously lock said trays in their closed positions.

l5. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein an end wall, a plurality ot sup-porting members fast to said wall and projecting inwardly therefrom, trays located within said casing and slidably mounted upon said supporting members and end wall, a locking member slidably mounted upon said end wall and .adapted to interlock with said trays and means slidably mounted within said base to operate said locking member to simultaneously lock said trays in their closed positions and also to simultaneously unlock the same.

16. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base, a casing mounted up-on said base, and embodying therein an end wall, a plurality ot supporting members tast to said wall and projecting inwardly therefrom` trays located within said casing and slidably mounted upon said supporting members and end wall, a locking member slidably mounted upon said end wall and adapted to interlock with said trays, i, drawer within said base and means upon said drawer engaging said looking member to torce the latter into engagement with said trays to simultaneously lock said trays in their closed positions.

17. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein an end Wall, a plurality ot supporting members fast to said wall and projecting inwardly therefrom, trays located Within said casing and "slidablyV mounted upon said supporting i base and embodying therein "an end Wall, a

plurality of supporting members Vfast to"V said Wall and projecting therefrom,V trays located Within said casing and slidably mounted uponv said supporting members and end Wall, a V-shaped locking member slidably mounted upon said end Wall and adapted to interlock with saidtrays, a drawer Within said base, cam surfacesV upon-said V'drawer engaging said locking member to force the-latter into engagement with said trays to simultaneously lock the `latter in theiry closed positions and means to release said trays When said locking member is released'by said cam surfaces.

19.'A display cabinet having, in combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein a plurality of transparent Walls and anon-transparent end Wall, a plurality of trays located Within said casing and-supported upon said 4end Wall,

said trays being disposed at an angle to said transparent Walls, a locking member located upon said end Wall and means slidably mounted Within said base to forcesaid locking member into co-operative engage- Vment With said trays to simultaneously lock Vthe latter in their closed positions. y

20. A display cabinet having, in combination, a base,Y a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein a plurality of transparent Walls and a non-transparent end Wall, a plurality of trays located Within said casing and supported upon said end Wall,

said trays being,y disposed. at an angle to said transparent Wall, alockingmember lo-V Y cated upon said end Wall, adravver located:

Within said basev and camsur'faces upon said drarve'rengagiiigA said locking member and V-adz'iptedrto vforce the latter into Yco-operative engagement With said trays to simultaneously lock the 'latter' in their yclosed positions. n

21. A display cabinetjhaving,v in combitransparent Walls' and a non-transparent end Wall, a plurality el trays located VWithin' said casing and supported upon said end *.Wall,

said-*trays being disposed at an an'gleto said 'transparent Wall, .a locking member located upon said end Wall, means toposition and guide said locking member,l a. drawer located Within said base, cam surfaces upon said drawer engaging said locking-member and'`r nation, a base,V a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein a 'plurality of adapted to force the latter into co-operative Y engagement with said trays Vto simultaneously lock the latter in their closed positions and means to -release said trays when said locking member is released by said cam ,Y

surfaces. l Y. f

22. A display cabinet having, `in* combination, a base, a casing mounted upon said base and embodying therein oppositely inclined transparent Walls, a transparent end Y Wall and a non-transparent end Wall, a plu- 'rality of trayslocated Within said casing and supportedy upon said non-transparent end Wall, said trays being disposed at an angle to the inclined transparent Wall adjacent thereto7 said casing also kbeing provided vvith a display space at the rear of and beneath said trays and visible through vsaid transparent end Wall and means to lock said trays in their closed positions; Y VIn testimony-whereof I` have hereunto set my hand in presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses. Y

A WILLIAM P. DE VTT. Witnesses: Y Y y Y v FRANKLINfE. LOW, a KATHRYN M. JOYCE.

' Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby eertilied that Letters Patent No. 1,473,215, granted Noven'ibei (3, 1 23, upon the application of 1V illiam P. De 7 itt, of Somerville, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Display Cabinets, were erroneously issued to De `Witt-La France Company, of Can'ibridge, lviassaehusetts, a Corporation ot lt/lassaehusetts, as assignee ot the entire interestin said invention, Whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to the inventor, said l/Vz'llz'am P. De YWz'tt, as sole owner of' said invention; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day oit J une, A. D. 1925.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

Acting Uomvm'ssz'onm of Pate/ats. 

